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- I do hereby declare that the saine is UNTED STATES ATE DAVID B. FITTS, OF HOLLIS'ION, MASSACHUSETTS.

DEVICE TO PREVENT INJURY FROM RUPTURE OF THE MAINSPENG GF VATCHES.

Speccaton of Letters Patent No. 22,174, dated November 30, 1858.

To c/,ZZ whom t! may concern:

Be itknown that I, DAviD B. Firrs, of Holliston, in the county ot Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful lmprovement in lVatches; and fully described and represented in the following specification and accompanying drawings, of which- Figures l, and 2, denote views of opposite sides or' the traine of the wheelwork ot a watch, the same being made to exhibit the barrel, main wheel and third wheel ot the mechanism as having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 3, is a view of the.upper side of the main-wheel and shows the ratchet wheel and retaining pawl. F ig. 4, is a transverse section of the barrel, the main wheel and the apparatus connected therewith. Fig. 5, is a view of the underside or" the third wheel and shows its ratchet and pawl. Fig. 6, is a transverse section ot the said third wheel, its ratchet and pawl.

The object ot my invention is to prevent injury to the train or the usual bad etliects which result from the sudden recoil ot the mainspring in cas-e of its rupture when wound or partially wound up, the nature ot the invention consisting not only in the application ot the main or other wheel of the train to the barrel so as to be capable of being revolved independently thereof, but in the application to such wheel and its arbor or that ot' the barrel ot' a mechanism substantially as hereinafter described and termed a reverse motion.

ln the drawings, A, denotes the upper or larger plate, and, B, the lower or smaller plate of a watch frame, the two being connected by pillars and screws in the usual way.

c, is the main or winding arbor arranged concentrically within the barrel, and carrying a retaining ratchet, c, provided with a retaining pawl, d, the ratchet being fastened to th-e arbor while the pawl is attached to the plate B. lVithin the'barrel is the mainsprinO', e, the inner end of which may be supposed to be attached to the arbor while the outer end is atlixed to the inner surface of the periphery ot the spring chamber ot the barrel. This barrel should be entirely separated from the main wheel, l?, which in this case is a flat annulus provided with teeth upon its outer edge and placed in a circular socket, g, formed in the lower sur- :tace or side of the plate, A, concentrically with the arbor, a. The annulus gear encircles a retaining pawlt il, and a ratchet, e', the former being fixed to the annulus gear or main wheel while the latter is fastened to the barrel and has its teeth formed as shown in the drawings when the winding ot the watch is in the direction described by the arrow, 7c.

My improvement may be applied to the third or any other gear of the train. The drawings show the said third gear at Z. lt turns freely on its arbor, m, and carries a retaining pawl, n, to work into a ratchet, 0, fixed to the arbor.

Should the mainspring be ruptured while in a state of tension, its recoil under ordi nary circumstances, is often attended with serious damages to the train, either breaking the cogs of the wheels or straining them or breaking some one or more ot the arbors or producing some other derangeinent, but under my application ot the barrel and gear or their formation so that one can revolve in one direction or turn independently ot the other and have a ratchet and pawl as a means, or part of the means of connection and as applied substantially in manner and to operate as described, such devices being what may be termed reverse motion, a rupture of the main spring would allow the barrel by recoil ot the spring to be revolved without injury to the train. My improveinentis also applicable to the separate barrel and main wheel having` the inner end ot the main spring connected to the wheel while the outer end of such spring is attached to the barrel in which case, the barrel not only rotates in the processl ot winding up the watch but remains stationary while the watch is running down.

l do not claim simply making' the barrel separate. from the main wheel or any other gear ot the train ot a watch, but

What 1 do claim as my invention or iinof mechanism hereinbefore described and provenient consiststermed a reverse motion, the sinne being for Both in the separation of the barrel and the purpose as explained. the main or other gear Wheel of the train DAVD BUCKLIN FTTS. 5 so that the two can revolve independently VtnesseS:

of each other as described, and the ap- E. B. PLMPTON, plication thereto substantially as specified ALBEN LELAND. 

